Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-19
FROM THE WEST.

GOOD REPORT FROM THE VERMONT LIVE
STOCK CoMPANY's RANCH-THE corn AND
WHEAT rRosrECTs-rHET TERRIBLE DRouru
IN ILLINOIS AND ADJOINING sTArEs-soMr
OBSERVATIONS FOR HOME CONSUMPTION.
Mr. J.. f. Adams, manager Of the Yer
mont Lave stock company, returned ON
wednesday evening from visit of seven
weeks in the west, his Journey extending
TO the company's range in Dakota and Mon
tana. On the range he found everything
prospecting. The grass he has never seen
so good at this time of year. The stock is
looking well and the future prospect is
good, While there was some truth in the
stories OF losses of cattle in last years Sc
we're weather, the accounts were exapger-
ated ana the Vermont companys losses
were by no means disastrous. The losses
were confined almost wholly to the she cat
tie, the steers coming through all right. IL
is the present intention to ship from 1900
to 1900 head of cattle from the ranch to
the Chicago market in October.
Mr.. Adams spent considerable portion
OF his time in travelling through the lead
ing wheat and corn sections of the west To
ascertain the condition of those crops with
a view TO its effect on the business of Cros-
| by & Co. His conclusion is that the wheat
not reach more than two-thirds of the ex-
pected amount Eastern people, he savs.
can have no adequate conception of the
actual devastation and suffering caused bv
the summers terrible and protracted drouth
in Illinois, especially in the northern part.
southern and western Wisconsin, southern
Minnesota and small portion of Iowa
! For miles, he says, through the stricken
territory the grass is literally burned up in
the pastures and fields and they are ALSO
lutely barren Of vegetation Cattle are
emaciated from lack of food and the in
tense heat. and are sold 10y the farmers for
IA mere pittance because they have no food
to give them Already the immense bran
product of the great Minneapolis mills is
| engaged for months ahead to supply the
farmers who hope by this means to keep
their stock alive until another season. Corn
has thrown up stalks over the greater por-
ton of the devastated district. hut hv far
the greater part of it will form no ears.
The rains of last vcck broke the drouth,
but the best that can now happen for the
rest of this yenr is the growth of u small
quantity Of fall feed. In Minnesota as "A
whole, in Dakota, Iowa aud eastern Ne
braska the corn crop will he an average,
but IN Kansas, where crop of O,OOO,
900 bushels was expected, not over half Of
this amount win he realized
One thing which Mr.. Adams saws is of in
terest to that class of our country population
who are afflicted with an unreasuning west
ern fever The time has gone by, if it ev-
er existed when the great west is the poor
mans paradise-the place where riches
prosperity and an easy life assuredly await
him. Repeated opportunities for observa
ton have convinced Mr. Adams that the
average farmer. young or old, who leaves
home in the east and goes west. expect
ing to better his condition, makes tn,
great mistake of his life. If a man ha,
capital to start with, the case is different
If he is shrewd and diligent he is likely t,
find success east or west but if he mean,
to make farming his life work and has only
his own labor to depend upon, with littl,
money for immediate necessities, his chance
for success are as great ON the old hill farm
/, of New England rs in the west say moth
ing of the superior. even if scanty, socia
and educational advantages and home in
iluences which the east affords him Tn
classes who are to he ptied are the dupe
3 who have gone west on the strength o
representations made by railroad companie
/, and land spectators who advertise "home
for the Million and "a farm free for ev
erybody.' Thousands of such would re-
: turn to their old homes in the east coul
they get the money to do it with The da
is surely coming, Mr.. Adams believes, whel
the old farms among the New Englan
hills and valleys will Ice sought out an
b rehabiitated and carefully titled an
+ their owners will find their life wor
= and their real wealth in making ther
p as productive as possible, in seem
n them well stocked and in establishin
i ON them snug, attractive homes for then
i selves and their families
Mr.. Adamss observations, it will he II,
2 ticed, correspond exactly with editorii
h conclusions which have been repeated
II stated in our columns ut no distant time
the past.